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Manchester City v Fulham
Etihad Stadium, City of Manchester

Saturday 22 March 2014
Kickoff: 1500 GMT

Referee: Jonathan Moss
Assistants: I Hussin & S Long
Fourth Official: Nigel Miller

TV Coverage in UK: No LIVE Coverage
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The last game came after two defeats (Wigan and Barca) and with them two major cup exits ... and so that game then became a must must win ... but in under ten minutes, with Kompany seeing a red threatened that the season was going to explode in a spectacular 'typical city' fashion ... but then the boys showed spirit, tenacity, togetherness, class and hunger and turned the tie on its head ... everyone came out praising, the bookies even installed us back as favourites for the league (after we pulled through in spectacular fashion, and Chelsea collapsed) ...

Unfortunately though, that win at Hull didn't win us any more silverware ... we have eleven more games to go ... and all eleven are kind of must-wins still ... so be it the bottom club coming to fortress Etihad (like this next fixture) or us going away to Emirates or the Mersey side ... we have got to keep any complacency away, and that last game's spirit and resolve alive ...
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Team Selection

We are without our captain for this one ... but that's good news, given this is the only one game he'll miss through suspension ... (even though the print media, and possibly a few rag bastards in the background) tried their best to have him gone for longer and miss the next two away games against Scum and Arsenal ...

The next two are biggies and come within the week so the gaffer might have an eye on them in terms of selection ... but I think safe to assume Aguero (even if able to come back) will and should be rested for this one ... Komps out through suspension so that might see Lescott and Demichelis at the back or who knows Garcia might be preferred to Lescott here (frankly, won't surprise me one bit).

Rest I think will be a full-fledged squad ... Navas might be preferred for pace and one of Silva/Nasri rested or both played one half each keeping the derby three days later in mind.

We should also see Jovetic as a sub ... well, we can hope and pray at least.
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Starting XI Prediction

Hart
Zaba - Demi - Lescott - Clichy
Navas - Ferdy - Yaya - Silva
Negredo - Dzeko
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Score Prediction

About time we restore our goal scoring form, we are at home and against the bottom club, who have leaked the most as well ... if we can't ship four past them (and get our strikers back in goals), well, I'll be slightly worried for the tougher fixtures ahead.

Manchester City 4 - 0 Fulham
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Other Games

Only one other interesting game this weekend ... Chelsea v Arsenal opens the weekend in Saturday lunchtime on BT Sport. So perhaps a draw there or Chelsea losing another one will be great news before our kick-off ...

Liverpool is then in action at the same time as us and are away at Cardiff, so let's hope Cardiff are up for it now that they are up against it in the relegation battle ...

There are a few other interesting games for different reasons, like West Ham v Scum and Spurs v Saints ... but none that concern us directly.

Nice work AG7.

I want to see zealous hunger from our lads for this one. Motivation and grit.

Some Mong on one if the other threads reckoned Jonathan Moss was a Scouser. He's from Yorkshie...

Yorkshire!

Thanks for the intro. I'm hoping we stick with 5 in midfield as Dzeko and the Beast is not working at the mo. I would nt be surprised to see Javi involved but I'm hoping for:
Hart
Zaba Demi Lescott Clichy
Milner Fern
Silva Yaya Nasri
Dzeko

Central defence is slow but no real options. Navas on at half time all being well for Merlin or French Sam

Hart
Zaba Demich Lescott Kolarov
Garcia
Yaya Fern
Milner Nasri
Negredo

I hope, but I don't think we'll get that CM trio.

Silva and/or Nasri could use a rest with the derby coming 3 days after.

Saul Goodman wrote:Hart Zaba Demich Lescott Kolarov Garcia Yaya Fern Silva Nasri Negredo I hope, but I don't think we'll get that CM trio

Like the look of this, as much as you can with MDM in there - certainly Having Garcia in front of them and allow Ferdi and Yaya to push forward when we have possession. Gotta give Beast pitch time to get back on his game and save Dzeko for the scummers.

I would love to see the 5 man midfield retained for the rest of the season, our centre halfs need a bit of protection at times, especially the hairy one. But home game and Mr P may revert to the default and put two up front.

hart
zabs, mart, lescott, kolarov
yaya ferdi, jim
nasri, beast, dave.

Over the last few months gotten used to watching City every midweek that now this whole week between games seem way too long ...

Still two and a half days away ...

This has to be the easiest (on paper) of our remaining fixtures, home game, bottom club ...

But they'll be fighting for their lives ...

And I hope we don't do the mistake of looking ahead to the next two games (Scum away followed by Arse away, both within a week) after this ...

Definitely a Jovetic game!

john@staustell wrote:Definitely a Jovetic game!

I hope he gets on at some point.

sheblue wrote:I would love to see the 5 man midfield retained for the rest of the season, our centre halfs need a bit of protection at times, especially the hairy one. But home game and Mr P may revert to the default and put two up front.

hart, zabs, mart, lescott, kolarov, yaya ferdi, jim, nasri, beast, dave.

pick the best team for each game, whether that is 442 or 5 in the midfield. but yes, before Sergio comes back I would continue with 5 man midfield as well. btw I have a feeling we'll see MDM - JG as our centre back pairing.

Moonchesteri wrote:

sheblue wrote:I would love to see the 5 man midfield retained for the rest of the season, our centre halfs need a bit of protection at times, especially the hairy one. But home game and Mr P may revert to the default and put two up front.

hart, zabs, mart, lescott, kolarov, yaya ferdi, jim, nasri, beast, dave.

pick the best team for each game, whether that is 442 or 5 in the midfield. but yes, before Sergio comes back I would continue with 5 man midfield as well. btw I have a feeling we'll see MDM - JG as our centre back pairing.

That worries me quite a lot.

They were superb on the whole v Hull, but there were just one or two moments when they both got pulled out of position & left a player free in the centre. Hull failed to exploit it, but a better side would, 90% of the time.

They also spent most of the time dealing with crosses etc rather than players running at them.

Hull fail to use player more and slow line who is going for clear offside line on top of the box, better side would use that almost 100 % ,Ted is right.

Thanks, as always for this AG......very enjoyable

I will post the view, but it will be very late on Friday night or early Saturday morning. It should be business as usual next week

CuteMancs wrote:Thanks, as always for this AG......very enjoyable

I will post the view, but it will be very late on Friday night or early Saturday morning. It should be business as usual next week

Cheers AG7 & CM appreciate your efforts

I said to my son before the Wigan game, "can we lose this?". I agreed when he said "nah". Fulham? One things for sure, if any one thinks Demi et al can successfully play offside for 90 mins like they did at Hull they are in for a shock.

getdressedmctavish wrote:I said to my son before the Wigan game, "can we lose this?". I agreed when he said "nah". Fulham? One things for sure, if any one thinks Demi et al can successfully play offside for 90 mins like they did at Hull they are in for a shock.

Yeah, I would have been more confident if that Mulensteen was still in charge ... Felix Magath would have done his homework and figuring out that the 18 yard box is our back line ain't rocket science ...

AG7 wrote:

getdressedmctavish wrote:I said to my son before the Wigan game, "can we lose this?". I agreed when he said "nah". Fulham? One things for sure, if any one thinks Demi et al can successfully play offside for 90 mins like they did at Hull they are in for a shock.

Yeah, I would have been more confident if that Mulensteen was still in charge ... Felix Magath would have done his homework and figuring out that the 18 yard box is our back line ain't rocket science ...

It's not about where the line is but how the defence work together to create the line. They all stepped up at the same time against Hull and they did it almost every time to perfection.

Nasri has to start for me , he is in the form of his life ! Also Negredo needs to be back to his best sometime very fucking soon so a full shift for him please plus a start for Navas would fit the bill . Let's rattle a few goals in then be ready for the rag cunts Tuesday who all of a sudden have found their dispicable loathe some putrid voices the last 24 hours ........ Cunts !